Homemade Bird Cage

I just bought 2 lovebirds and want to make a large cage. I live in South America and there is nothing close to me that has large cages. Has anyone made a cage or bought a homemade one? I am thinking about making a metal frame but am not sure what type of wire to use for the sides, maybe some of the woven metal mesh or just a square mesh. Is there anything that I need to avoid?

Thanks!!

Here's a website mentioning some heavy metals that are toxic to birds; Heavy Metals are Poisonous to Birds

Welcome to the forums, hope you enjoy your stay.....

As to your query, I'm afraid that there is not a lot of suitable materials for self-building any type of parrot cage, however, since you cannot find a large cage locally, you might want to look for 16 gauge, 1/2"x1/2" or 1"x1" wire mesh that has been welded before galvanizing. Wires that are galvanized before welding have a tendency for the zinc galvanize to flake/chip off and non-galvanized wire tends to simply rust away, especially in tropical/humid climates. You may find some welded wires to be vinyl coated, but the vinyl coating can be dangerous to companion birds if they develop a taste for chewing on the vinyl coating.

Anytime you use galvanized wire, you want to wash the wire with vinegar to remove any oxidized zinc powder left on the wire and if this cage is to be left outdoors to the weather, regular washing with vinegar, maybe every six months, will keep the zinc oxidation to a minimum. Since vinegar is a mild acid, you'll want to just give the wire a mild washing as opposed to a strong scrubbing.

I hope this answers your questions.....


Added Info: As Psittaciformes has posted Jillian Willis' listing of heavy metals, there are a couple of errors in the listing, one, all chromes do not contain zinc and all anti-rust primer paints do not contain zinc chromate or other zinc products. As we read through the plethora of good for parrots - bad for parrots information proffered on the internet, we need to do so with open minds and look for other supporting/validating information by other sources.

And to the problem of galvanization and zinc, it is a conundrum and the lesser of two evils...controlled zinc oxidation or rust and rust particles that may lacerate a bird's digestive system, almost guaranteeing the bird's death. Where the choices of materials are more than just two dangerous products, common sense would dictate the use of neither, but when there are only those two choices, the owner has to make their own best judgement call, given the exigent circumstances.....

Also, there are stainless steel welded wire meshes available, but they are on the expensive side...and...in constructing a home made cage, you do not want to use woven wire materials as that type of mesh can subject companion birds to potential catching of the bird's claws/talons/nails and their probable loss/pulling out by a frightened bird flapping & twisting, trying to extract it.....

Another idea is to buy a couple cheaper small cages and take them apart and rebuild to make one larger cage.
Or use untreated wood to make a large cage with just the front made of mesh(treated with vinegar). Less mesh means less likely to chew on it.Be be sure to put lots of branches for perches they can chew on. A wood cage wont last forever but its an option when nothing else will do.
Anyway just ideas